JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) is a leading global cause of morbidity; affecting millions who often suffer from a diverse range of complications and limited access to appropriate care. Advances in digital technology offer promising opportunities for more effective and accessible assessments; however, there is limited comprehensive research on the scope and utilization of these innovations.

Objective:

This scoping review aimed to identify and synthesize contemporary research on digital technologies to aid screening or assessment of ABI complications, in order to uncover trends, themes and priorities for future research.

Methods:

Using the Arksey and O’Malley framework, a systematic search was conducted across Embase, MEDLINE, and Scopus, with additional searches in four trial registries to capture grey literature. A search string incorporating terms related to “ABI,” “clinical assessment,” and “digital tools” was developed a priory. Studies from 2013 to 2024 leveraging digital technologies for ABI complication assessment were included. Exclusion criteria comprised studies involving bespoke hardware, non-human subjects or review articles. Data synthesis and domain mapping were performed.

Results:

From 5,293 studies extracted, 88 met inclusion criteria: 2 retrospective studies, 4 qualitative studies, 35 cohort studies, 42 cross-sectional studies, and 5 randomized controlled trials. The median sample included 26 participants with ABI, 51 studies also involved non-ABI participants (median of 10 participants included). Most studies (n=70) focused solely on TBI cases, with 36 exclusively on mild TBI or concussion; 16 included mixed ABI etiologies. Digital platforms varied, with 45 studies using smartphone or tablet technologies, 23 PC or web-based platforms, 11 telemedicine solutions, and 9 virtual reality (VR) platforms. The predominant research themes included: the use of digital technology to aid in screening for TBI, identifying symptoms or functional outcomes; the assessment of cognition and communication; as well as comprehensive consultation. Most tools were well-tolerated, with accuracy often described as comparable to standard assessments. However, the majority of studies had smaller sample sizes, lacked long term outcomes, were limited in the diversity of patients included, and there were few studies assessing digital tools for comprehensive evaluation.

Conclusions:

This investigation provides clinicians and researchers with an extensive overview of current research trends, and highlights the need for larger, more rigorous studies to optimize the use of digital technologies in ABI assessment. Current studies are often small-scale, designed as pilot or feasibility trials, and show variability in their focus, leaving gaps in the assessment of common complications such as pain, seizures, or participation restrictions. Expanding research into underexplored ABI complications, broadening the scope of assessments and including diverse populations will be critical for advancing the field and improving outcomes for individuals with ABI. Clinical Trial: NA